Equipment
Uniforms Scribe Robes A set of heavy-duty work clothes designed by the Brotherhood of Steel, the robes consist of a durable, double-layered overcoat that protects against environmental hazards and workplace accidents. Leather arm protectors further reduce the risk of injury, as do the heavy boots. A thick leather utility belt is worn for convenience. The robes are typically coloured red, although different colours have been used: The Outcasts preferred solid black with red accents on the utility belt, for example. Fatigues The fatigues are comprised of a military sweater, pants, gloves, a large vest, and what appears to be military webbing. The entire uniform is saturated with pouches; some are included on a chest panel on the webbing, with more on the belt and vest, one on either pants thigh, one on each pants leg just above the boot (secured by straps), and one sewn on to the left shoulder of the sweater. Each vest has a segment of utility cord or rope over the shoulder of the vest, and another on the back of the belt. There are three variants of fatigues. The first has a black sweater, and is the standard variant used by most Brotherhood personnel. The second has a navy blue sweater, emblazoned on the left breast of the vest is usually its wearers rank or squad affiliation. The final variant is a set of medical fatigue, which features, on the right shoulder, a customised Brotherhood version of the caduceus in red. Additionally, it features the same it also holds the wearers rank or squad affiliation on the left breast. Armour Combat Armour Combat armour is a general term for any suit of personal body armour employed before the Great War by the United States Armed Forces. Although offering varying degrees of protection, sophistication, and encumbrance, the combat armour is typically among the finest possible options when it comes to personal protection, as it was designed to secure the operator without limiting their protection or fine motor control. It is among the best forms of protection in the post-War Capital Wasteland. Offering decent protection without impeding movement speed or manoeuvrability, though metal armour and the further superior Metal Master armour offer even greater protective properties, at the cost of limiting movement and additional weight. T-45d Power Armour Originally developed and manufactured for the United States Army by American defence contractor West Tek, the T-45d power armour was the first version of power armour to be successfully deployed in battle. In 2067, the first suit of T-45d power armour was deployed in Alaska during the start of the Anchorage Reclamation in the midst of the Sino-American War. This power armour was incredibly effective against Chinese tanks and infantry. Its ability to allow a single infantryman to carry heavy ordnance that otherwise required a team of soldiers to transport and operate became key in various localised conflicts on the Alaskan front, and it allowed American soldiers wearing the armour to destroy entire towns occupied by Chinese troops without endangering themselves. After the Great War, this model of power armour is still being used by factions such as the Brotherhood of Steel. While main forces of the Brotherhood in New California and the Mojave Brotherhood of Steel tend to use the newer T-51b, more remote chapters, such as the East Coast Brotherhood of Steel, its subordinate chapter based in Texas, and the Brotherhood Outcasts, have to rely on these outdated suits. While the T-45d armour is similar in its overall shape to the newer T-51b power armour, it is significantly less advanced than its later counterpart, and uses riveted steel plates instead of plastic composite materials in its construction. Various electronic and mechanical subsystems of the armour are exposed on the outside of its casing rather than sealed within as in the T-51b, making it far more susceptible to damage. In addition, a specialised body suit is required to be worn underneath the T-45d's armoured shell in order to facilitate linking the armour's servos to the wearer's own motions and to make the armour more bearable because of its heat dissipation problems. T-51b Power Armour T-51b Powered Infantry Armour represented the peak of armoured infantry technology before the Great War. Developed in the laboratories of the West Tek Research Facility, the T-51b was deployed at the end of the Anchorage Reclamation, and by January 2077, the armour had become standard issue for American soldiers in the Army's Mechanised Cavalry Regiments. Now, only the most technologically advanced factions with ties to the pre-Great War American military or federal government, such as the Brotherhood of Steel or the Enclave, have access to this type of power armour. The armour is fitted with a back-mounted TX-28 MicroFusion Pack which generates an output power of 60,000 Watts to power the HiFlo hydraulic systems built into the frame of the suit. Made of a poly-laminate composite, the outer shell of the T-51b is lightweight and capable of absorbing over 2500 Joules of kinetic impact. The 10-micron-thick silver ablative coating can reflect laser and other radiation emissions without damaging the composite subsurface, and the eye-slit for the helmet is made of bullet proof glass to protect the wearer from any projectiles. It also includes a recycling system that can convert human waste into drinkable water, enhancing survival. The Brotherhood of Steel does not possess the technology required to manufacture new suits of power armour and relies only on repaired and refurbished pre-Great War suits. Among the soldiers of the Enclave, this power armour is seen as obsolete, as it was replaced by the Enclave's advanced power armour and advanced power armour Mk II models, though it is still used by soldiers of the Enclave who have not been issued the newer armour. T-60 Power Armour Developed in early 2077 after the Anchorage Reclamation, the T-60 series of power armour was designed to eventually replace the T-51 as the pinnacle of powered armour technology in the U.S. military arsenal. The T-60 was deployed domestically among U.S. Army units just prior to the dropping of the bombs. As of 2287, the Brotherhood of Steel East-Coast Chapter has acquired a vast arsenal of T-60 power armour, as it became the standard issue power armour for the Brotherhood of Steel, though it has become a staple of deserters that remain loyal to Arthur Maxson. This particular variation of power armour is much larger and bulkier than other recent generations, closer to the appearance of the T-45d Power Armour over it's more recent predecessor, but with a few minor differences. The shoulders of the T-60 are composite, double layered and taller than its T-45d predecessor. Weaponry N99 10mm Pistol The large-framed, gas-operated N99 was selected as the standard issue conventional sidearm of the United States military, following the phaseout of the N80 in 2051. The long-barrelled pistol remained in service for 26 years, until the Great War destroyed the United States. The pistol is designed to withstand the most extreme conditions, which was one of the requirements for a new service sidearm. It can also be repaired easily by anyone with even the most basic technical knowledge. This includes both clearing misfeeds and restoring a unit to working condition after long exposure to elements without maintenance. These features also make it popular with wastelanders, who appreciate the ease of maintenance. It remains a common weapon, as even though many civilian units were ruined, they can easily be restored by anyone with some repair knowledge. Even damaged units can be used reliably, though they will offer subpar performance and jam frequently, the number of manufactured pistols means that parts are easy to come by. AEP7 Laser Pistol The AEP7 laser pistol was put into service to replace the AEP5 model. With a generous battery size, tight shot grouping at range, resilience to extended use, and fairly decent damage output, it is a very good choice for a sidearm and is used extensively in this role by the Brotherhood of Steel and the Enclave in the Capital Wasteland. As the successor to the AEP5, it boasted a redesigned focusing crystal pattern, an improved photonic focusing chamber, and selectable laser focus, wavelength, pulse energy and repetition rate. In addition, it was lighter and less bulky than its predecessor and was perceived as a step toward replacing the N99 10mm pistol with a laser weapon as the standard issue sidearm for military forces. The AEP7 was produced in large numbers thanks to newly developed manufacturing technologies in the United States, although logistics and supply issues (caused by prolonged war with China) prevented its wide-scale deployment. Plasma Pistol Plasma pistols are high-tech weapons firing superheated bolts of plasma, powered by small energy cells or energy cells. This plasma pistol has five tributary energy arcs connected to a central cathode, and the cathode functions as a point of focus, or the barrel. The energy is projected forward and forms a plasma pinch; though rather slow, the pinch carries high levels of both thermal and kinetic energy. R91 Assault Rifle Manufactured by civilian defence contractor Stent Security Solutions, the R91 assault rifle is a conventional design chambered for 5.56mm ammunition. Employing a roller delayed blowback system, it is a very sturdy design, with simple iron sights that consist of a rotary rear drum and hooded front post, a fire selector switch with three settings (safe, fully automatic fire, single shot), and a flash suppressor. The final touch is the wooden stock and hand-guard. The R91 was manufactured by Stent as part of its R series, superseding the manufacturer's own M series of combat assault rifles in the early 21st century. While other models and variants were developed, the R91's combination of ruggedness, firepower, and low manufacturing costs resulted in its adoption as an assault rifle of the National Guard and issuance to troops on the Anchorage front. The number of working units is particularly high in the Capital Wasteland, as the National Guard units deployed there used it widely. It remains a popular sight among the inhabitants of the region, particularly slavers and raiders, though it is also available for purchase from traders and weapon dealers. AER9 Laser Rifle The AER9 was actually not the top laser rifle in service at the time of the Great War. The model line went up to the state-of-the-art AER12, which saw service in a handful of specialty units. The reason that the AER9 is much more commonly found is that it was much sturdier and more reliable than the models that followed. A new model, the AER14, was in development prior to the war, with at least one working prototype surviving in Vault 22. The AER9 features a titanium housed crystal array which proved to withstand long years of exposure to the elements much better than the gold alloy housing of the later models. As a result, the crystal arrays stayed focused within operating parameters, rather than falling completely out of focus like the newer models. Power is drawn from microfusion cells and processed through a wave/particle diverter manufactured by General Atomics International. The diverters are protected by a carbon-fibre housing, preventing frequent malfunction, but when a diverter fails the weapon becomes unusable. As with all energy weapons, the AER9 can suffer from poor performance if not properly maintained. The crystal arrays and non-mechanical components are delicate and if not properly serviced can lead to a loss of beam intensity, overheating, and energy regulation failure. The AER9 can also be modified into what has been dubbed the Tri-Beam Laser Rifle, which has the appearance of a shortened laser rifle. It lacks the tube on the bottom length of the barrel, but has a new emitter aperture, wire assembly, and is a darker colour. The new emitter fires three laser beams with each shot. Plasma Rifle Plasma rifles. or plasma casters, are high tech weapons firing superheated bolts of plasma, powered by either microfusion cells or heavy energy cells, which find numerous applications in military and industrial fields. The bolts form into toroids in the plasma chamber, which are then sent down a superconducting barrel, propelled by, and in some models stabilised by, electromagnetic claws upon exiting it. However, the plasma bolt chamber can be hot-wired in order to accelerate the bolt formation process, effectively turbocharging the rifle. The primary damage mechanism of plasma rifles is thermal transfer, causing serious burns to soft targets and melting hard ones. In extreme cases, the plasma can cause spontaneous dissolution of the target, including separation of soft tissues from hard ones or wholesale molecular destabilisation that turns the target into a viscous green fluid. Initially, the weapon was a bulky, industrial plasma caster, manufactured by Winchester Arms; while it performed admirably, it was expensive and required specialised training to use. However, later developments for the United States Army would lead to a more compact design that was cheaper to produce and easier to train for, perfectly suited for urban warfare. This plasma rifle is a lightweight urban warfare weapon created as part of a desire to replace the aged Winchester P94 "Plasma Caster" design. This design was produced and fielded in number prior to the Great War of October 23, 2077. This however was not the end of the design nor manufacture of this weapon platform. Prior to the nuclear Armageddon, REPCONN Aerospace (as a subsidiary of RobCo Industries) would successfully develop an improvement from their spaceflight research. With significantly advanced factions tinkering with the design post Armageddon. Gauss Rifle The Gauss rifle is a coil-gun, a type of projectile accelerator, which uses electromagnetic coils configured as a linear motor to accelerate ferromagnetic or conductive projectiles to extreme velocities. Though these weapons were historically suffering from a number of difficulties, focused on discharging the coils in sequence or providing enough power for the coils, these design issues were overcome by German scientists in the 21st century and entered limited service. This class of weapons is named in honour of the German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss, responsible for formulating the math underlying the magnetic acceleration principle of coil-guns. Gatling Laser In contrast with the L30 Gatling laser, this model is not only fully automatic and has a much larger ammo capacity, requiring a back-mounted battery pack, but was also mass produced for military use. While they entered service shortly before the war, they quickly became an important part of any proper militaries arsenal, both of pre-War and post-War factions. Winchester P94 Plasma Caster Plasma rifles. or plasma casters, are high tech weapons firing superheated bolts of plasma, powered by either microfusion cells or heavy energy cells, which find numerous applications in military and industrial fields. The bolts form into toroids in the plasma chamber, which are then sent down a superconducting barrel, propelled by, and in some models stabilised by, electromagnetic claws upon exiting it. However, the plasma bolt chamber can be hot-wired in order to accelerate the bolt formation process, effectively turbocharging the rifle. The primary damage mechanism of plasma rifles is thermal transfer, causing serious burns to soft targets and melting hard ones. In extreme cases, the plasma can cause spontaneous dissolution of the target, including separation of soft tissues from hard ones or wholesale molecular destabilisation that turns the target into a viscous green fluid. Initially, the weapon was a bulky, industrial plasma caster, manufactured by Winchester Arms; while it performed admirably, it was expensive and required specialised training to use. However, later developments for the United States Army would lead to a more compact design that was cheaper to produce and easier to train for, perfectly suited for urban warfare. Tesla Cannon The Tesla cannon is a pre-War designed shoulder-mounted heavy directed energy weapon, designed to replace conventional anti-tank weapons. Based on Nikola Tesla's designs, the weapon entered limited production before the war and remains a rare sight in the wasteland. However, it remains a powerful tool in the hands of a skilled user, as the focused energy blast will not only deliver massive damage to the target, but the nature of the blast will also deliver a potent electric shock. Near the end of the war between the Brotherhood and the Enclave in the Capital Wasteland, the Brotherhood's scribes under the Order of the Sword worked to build their own Tesla cannons to more effectively counter the Enclave's Vertibird fleet. To do so, the Lone Wanderer was tasked with retrieving a PPE Tesla coil from Olney Powerworks, an experimental piece of pre-war technology. The modified Tesla cannon employed by Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel is far more powerful than the pre-war Tesla cannon. Discharging a large electrical impulse upon impact with a much larger area of effect. This explosive damage makes the Lyon's model far more suitable for anti-Vertibird use. M42 Fat Man Nuclear Warhead Catapult The M42 Fat Man was developed at Fort Strong near Boston, Massachusetts. Development began in February 2076, with the goal being the development of a man-portable tactical nuclear launcher easy enough for use by troops on the ground, to destroy reinforced and entrenched positions. Problems manifested instantly, as warheads were simply too heavy to clear the blast radius fast enough to provide safety for the operator. Even stripping them to the minimal possible size failed to produce an acceptable effect. Instead, the development team decided to increase the power of the launcher unit, even considering using railgun technology to accelerate the warhead. The notion was largely academic, as it would require for the overburdened soldier to carry an additional power pack the size of a suitcase and turn the Fat Man into a crew-served weapon. Concurrent development ran on the MIRV version of the launcher. Live-fire testing claimed lives, in fact, with two soldiers killed during a test. No remains were recovered and the commanding officer in charge of the project, General Brock, covered up the incident, ordering his subordinates to send sand packed in an urn to their relatives. The project hit a breakthrough in December 2076, when the project lead discovered a solution for the launcher problems. Six hours, fourteen cups, and one concerned night shift lab crew later, the future M42 launcher was conceptualised: Based on the spigot mortar mechanism, the launcher would only have to accommodate a firing through and system, relying on mechanical launching, rather than chemical or electrical means. Much like the 130 year old PIAT launcher, the Fat Man warhead would be propelled by a sub-charge embedded inside the warhead, "catapulting" the warhead through the air to the target - giving plenty of range with the added bonus of not producing a smoke trail that could reveal the firing team to the enemy. By September 2077, after one hundred test firings the weapon was complete and ready to be shipped to units overseas. A large number of units were manufactured and shipped together with the appropriate warheads to select locations throughout the United States.